Stewartville Man Convicted in Case Involving Partner’s Suicide

Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) - A Stewartville man has been convicted in a case that’s connected to the suicide of his longtime partner.

An Olmsted County jury convicted 36-year-old Long Vang Thursday of a felony stalking charge. The trial in the unusual case began Jan 3rd.

Olmsted County ADC

Vang was initially charged with 3rd-degree murder, 2nd-degree manslaughter and a pattern of harassing conduct. The charges were filed in 2016, several months after his partner of 11 years killed herself. Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem essentially accused Vang of causing the woman to kill herself.

Ostrem said during their years together “Vang subjected his partner to ever-increasing levels of domestic abuse.” Ostrem described the abuse as verbal, emotional, mental, and physical. He said the abuse led to a traumatic brain injury several months before the woman’s death. Ostrem said the woman eventually “took her own life to escape the relationship. I believe Mr. Vang’s conduct directly contributed to the death of his partner. Mr. Vang was clearly aware of the precarious state of his partner’s emotions following her hospitalizations and he continued the relentless contacts until her death.”

A judge later dismissed the murder and manslaughter charges.

Ostrom has indicated he will seek the toughest punishment possible when Vang is sentenced in March.